CREATIVE: Delegates from Hong Kong staging a special dance.
SEA OF PINK: Participants at the Kuching Festival Folk Dance 2013.
LET IT BEGIN: Wong (second right) launches Kuching Festival Folk Dance 2013 by releasing a bunch of balloons. Also seen are Chan (right) and Tan (second left).
KUCHING: More than 700 people including delegates from Hong Kong, Singapore, Mukah and Kota Kinabalu took part in the Kuching Festival Folk Dance 2013 held at the state Hockey Stadium here on Sunday night.
Marking the 25th anniversary of Kuching’s elevation to city status, the event attracted a large crowd.
Local Government and Community Development Minister Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh who launched the event believed the display based on traditional eastern and western values would extent friendship and understanding.
“Folk dance is not just a form of physical exercise but can stimulate a sense of tranquility. A healthy life results from a combination of a healthy mind and body.
“It is good exercise to keep housewives mentally and physically fit,” he said after participants presented the opening dance ‘IM4U’ for the event.
Prior to the launch, delegates from Hong Kong staged a special dance that earned big rounds of applause from the viewers.
Wong who is also Second Finance Minister observed: “Many of us neglect to exercise after a hectic day.”
He was pleased that the event brought people into Sarawak to nurture friendship.
Wong called on foreign participants to take some time off to visit the city, pointing out that Sarawak “has everything to offer”.
“I hope those from outside Sarawak see more of Kuching, venture out of the city as our tourism focuses on Culture, Adventure and Nature (CAN). We have everything to offer if you can move around to try our CAN products.”
Among those present were Kuching City South mayor Datuk James Chan and organising chairman Johnson Tan.